1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer container, a developing container, a developing device, a process cartridge, a side cover, and a bearing structure mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer adopting an electrophotographic process, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic image forming process adopt a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member, process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing device and the like are integrated in a cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus. According to the process cartridge system, a user can perform operational maintenance of the apparatus without relying on a serviceman, so that the operability can be remarkably enhanced. Thus, the process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
In the above-mentioned developing device and process cartridge, the following is proposed: a developer container (toner container) containing a developer (toner) is connected to a developing container holding a developer bearing member (developing roller), a developer regulating member (developing blade) and the like, and an opening of the toner container for supplying toner to the developing container is sealed with a sealing member (toner seal) for sealing a developer, whereby toner is prevented from flowing to the developing container before the commencement of use. A user pulls a seal grip (pull-tab) provided on the process cartridge at the commencement of use, removes the toner seal fixed to the seal grip, and thereafter, mounts a process cartridge to the image forming apparatus.
In order to make more widespread the use of the above-mentioned cartridge type image forming apparatus, higher efficiency of mounting/detaching operation of the process cartridge, enhancement of the reliability and safety of an operation, a decrease in cost by reduction of the number of components and the number of processes, and the like are desired.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned unsolved problem of the conventional art. An object of the present invention is as follows: a grip (seal grip) of a toner seal is designed so as to be pulled out in a longitudinal direction of a process cartridge; the seal grip is placed on an outer side in a longitudinal direction from a guide width set for mounting/detaching the process cartridge with respect to an image forming apparatus; and the process cartridge is adapted such that it cannot be mounted to the image forming apparatus unless the seal grip is removed. Therefore, an image forming operation is prevented from being started under the condition that toner is not supplied to the developing container, which could damage the process cartridge. Furthermore, the invention provides a developer container, a developing container, a developing device, a process cartridge, a side cover, a bearing structure, and an image forming apparatus, which can contribute to the enhancement of efficiency and reliability of a mounting/detaching operation of a process cartridge.
Another object of the present invention is as follows: a toner container, a developing container, a bearing member or a side cover, and a seal grip are integrally molded by two-color molding from materials having low mutual compatibility, such that they are separable from each other. Because of this, the number of components, the number of assembly processes, and the like can be reduced. Furthermore, the dimensional stability of the toner container, the developing container, the bearing member, or a fitting portion between the side cover and the seal grip is ensured, thereby reducing the force required for separating the seal grip. Furthermore, an inexpensive construction is realized which is capable of preventing the seal grip from coming off due to vibration or the like during transportation.
Another object of the present invention is as follows: the seal grip is molded by two-color molding as described above so that the color of the seal grip can be set arbitrarily without increasing the number of components, whereby a user can easily discriminate the seal grip when removing a toner seal in an operation of mounting the process cartridge.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container of a developing device provided in an image forming apparatus, including: a developer container main body provided with a developer containing portion that contains a developer and a developer supply opening; a sealing member that seals the developer supply opening of the developer container main body; and a grip member for pulling out the sealing member in a longitudinal direction of the developer container main body, in which the developer container main body and the grip member are integrally molded from using resin materials having low mutual compatibility so as to be separable from each other, and the grip member has a longitudinal dimension extending to an outside of a developer container mounting region of the image forming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container, which cannot be mounted to an image forming apparatus main body unless a seal grip is removed, a developing container, a developing device, a process cartridge, a side cover, a bearing structure and an image forming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container, a developing container, a developing device, a process cartridge, a side cover, and a bearing structure in which mounting operability is enhanced, and an image forming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container, a developing container, a developing device, a process cartridge, a side cover, and a bearing structure in which reduction in the number of components and reduction in the number of assembling processes are realized, and an image forming apparatus.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.